Farm Pond Moss Animal, Algae Monster or Just a Bryozoa

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We receive great questions from our customers, and we are not often baffled by a question. Dan from California writes, "we have been using your Pure Bacteria Muck Reducer and your Pure Blue Pond Dye, and our pond looks much better than last season. However, we recently encountered a gelatin blob that floated to the surface. Is this a result of using your pond bacteria product?" This wasn't just a little blob, but filled a large shovel and appeared almost alien. A jelly structure covered in spores. After discussing the picture with our aquatic biologists we came to the conclusion that it was a freshwater bryozoan-Pectinatella magnifica, "the magnificent bryozoan", also known as a Moss or Algae Animal. Moss Animals are a colony of interconnected living creatures. Fossil records indicate that this species was alive and well over 500 million years ago. The bryozoa form a community that attach to submerged branches, rocks, pilings, etc. and the individual bryozoa feed independently on pond nutrients.

Farm Pond owners encountering freshwater bryozoans should not be concerned. They are harmless to humans, fish and wildlife and are typically an indicator of an eutrophic or nutrient loaded pond. Pure Bacteria reduces nutrient loads and will restore an eutrophic pond.

This video shows freshwater bryozoans in a North American Pond.

Farm Pond Question-Will Clean Clear Blue Kill Algae?

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Farm Pond Question:

Just wanted you to know that the color & clarity of the pond is "MUCH" better! Love the blue color of the water and it was very simple to do. I can actually see the fish (10-14" bass) as I walk alongside the pond, however, I haven't noticed much dying off of the algae/pond weed/whatever it is? I have noticed that it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but it's not going away. Will your product eventually kill the algae, am I rushing it, or do I need to be adding something else? Besides this algae, I do have a few patches of lily pads which I'd like to get rid of...do you have something for those?

Answer:

It sounds as if we are on the right track. Keep the pond tinted, so if a change in water volume occurs or the color fades, add a bit more. Clean Clear Blue pond treatment is not an algaecide or herbicide so it will not kill existing growth. The bottom growth will eventually die off naturally, if we can keep the sun from penetrating, it should not return. The beneficial bacteria in Clean Clear Blue help existing pond bacteria to balance the nutrients feeding the growth. A pond will always have some algae and plant production in shallow water, and we want that for a healthy ecosystem.

Lilly pads can be mechanically or chemically managed. Lilly pads can be beneficial as they help consume pond nutrients, provide cover for fish and can be aesthetically pleasing. Lilly pads can be mechanically removed with one of our Lake Rakes, or you can find a glyphosate herbicide to treat the problem.

http://www.organicpond.com/Lake_Rake_and_Aquatic_Weed_Eradicator_Combination_p/llrwecombo.htm

Often, the treatment will have to be repeated. The glyphosate herbicide transfers to the plants root, but it is difficult to get all the roots in one application.

Be careful to treat small areas at a time. Treating the entire pond may cause decomposing vegetation to consume oxygen that fish need. In two-three weeks, treat another small area. Carefully read the herbicide application instructions.

Budget for a pond aeration system to help move the water and balance the nutrient load feeding the plant growth.

http://info.organicpond.com/vertex-pond-aeration/

Triple-Digit Temps Spark Fish Kills...Pond Aeration Is The Solution!

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Higher Water Temperatures Killing North Texas Fish

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Humans aren’t the only ones languishing in the North Texas heat.

“Everything is suffering… anything that depends on water and unfortunately that includes every single, living thing,” said Larry Hodge with Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The hot North Texas weather is killing fish.

“It can get to the point where the fish actually do not have enough oxygen in the water and they will suffer,” explained Hodge. “You’ll first see them at the surface trying to gulp air and then eventually, if it becomes severe enough, they may die.”

Farm ponds and other small bodies of water are especially vulnerable. According to Hodge, there have been some fish kills on Lake Ray Hubbard and on some North Texas ponds.

“Because they have less ability to withstand the temperature changes, because there’s less water in them, so their temperature tends to go up and down faster than a big body of water,” Hodge said.

Temperatures on area ponds are reaching the mid-90s and there are few things that can be done to cool the water. “If it’s a small pond the pond owner can actually aerate the water by agitating the water. Anything to mix air with the water will help,” suggested Hodge.

Hodge says the only thing that will really help is rain and cooler temperatures.

Water-meal and a Fish Kill-What Now?

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Q. Over last 3 years have had a cover of watermeal. We have had a complete fish kill after last winter. What do we do?

A.Sorry to hear about both your water-meal and your fish-kill. 

Water-meal is a very prolific plant and is very difficult to control. Water-meal is typically an indicator of excess nutrients in the pond. 

Fish-kills due to ice-over have been quite common the last few cold winters. With thick ice and snow cover there is no way for a self contained pond to generate oxygen.

You can prevent the potential for both water-meal & a fish-kill by adding bottom aeration. Bottom aeration energizes a natural biological process that reduces nutrients over time. Aeration also eliminates thermal & oxygen stratification which provides a healthier fish habitat. In addition, using aeration in the winter will keep oxygen flowing year round and will likely prevent a future fish kill.

http://info.organicpond.com/vertex-pond-aeration/
http://www.organicpond.com/Vertex_AIR_1_Acre_Pond_Aerator_p/air%201%20sh.htm

Nutrient reduction can also be achieved by adding beneficial bacteria designed to digest the muck layer(decomposing organics) that is feeding the plant growth. Starve a plant of nutrients and it goes away.

http://info.organicpond.com/clean-clear-blue-pond-treatment/
http://info.organicpond.com/purebacteria-pond-muck-reducer/

There are three ways to control water-meal; manual, biological or chemical. Manual is simply skimming the plant off the surface, difficult and not very effective. Biological is adding koi or grass carp to consume the plant. Works sometimes but the carp start with the big weeds and work their way down. Chemical treatments especially fluridone based products work well. Sonar and Whitecap are brand names of fluridone based products.

How Do I Create a Fish Habitat in My New Farm Pond?

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That is a great question. Farm ponds are often constructed with very smooth bottom topography and provide very little cover for the fish food chain.

Traditionally, Christmas Trees, cinder blocks tied together, old pallets and other homemade fish attractors have worked fairly well at providing cover. The downside to trees and pallets is decomposition, cinder blocks have a sharp, hard edge and all snag fishing line.

With this in mind, Brad Metzler a Wildlife & Fisheries Management graduate of Texas A & M, developed the Honey Hole Tree & Shrub Artificial Fish Habitat. Surveys showed that fish love certain habitats & structures, which Mother Nature provides. Imitating Mother Nature the Honey Hole Tree & Shrub provides a healthy habitat for fish production and fish attraction.

Brad's invention has garnered rave reviews by some of the biggest names in sports fishing, Roland Martin & Jimmy Houston. Here is what they have to say about the Honey Hole-Tree & Shrub.

"This is truly the most innovative product on the market for attracting fish. The flexible snag-free limbs lets you fish right down in it." Roland Martin

"Many private ponds and lakes just don't have enough structure. This product really solves the problem by creating a perfect habitat for both game-fish and bait-fish." Jimmy Houston

Place your Shrub in 3-4 feet of water. Simply toss the Shrub into the water. It will sink quickly and remain upright. Clusters of three shrubs or trees in a triangular pattern works best.

Place your Tree in water at least 6 feet deep. It will also sink quickly and land upright, regardless of how it is tossed in the water. If you have very deep waters and would like to suspend a few trees, simply leave the weights off and link the trees together-tethered to an anchor. They will float upside down at different depths, creating a long vertical structure in the water column.

Which pond aerator would I need for a 1 Acre L shaped farm pond?

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Question:Which pond aerator would I need for a 1 Acre L shaped farm pond? My pond is about 8' deep and located in Indiana, we have a fairly large population of bass in the pond.

Answer:When considering a farm pond aerator you need to consider a number of factors;size, shape, depth, elevation and oxygen demand. Most 1 acre round or oval ponds can use a 1 diffuser aeration system, but with an "L" shape you will need to aerate both arms of the "L" to properly circulate and oxygenate the pond.

Since your pond is fairly shallow and elevation is not a concern,
you can use our Air 1 + Aeration System. With more depth or a higher elevation you would have required a higher horsepower compressor. With a large fish population your oxygen demand is higher than one without fish, but the Air 1 + is more than sufficient to handle this load.

You will need standard 115V power located at the shoreline. If possible, locate the power at the apex of the "L", this will save you money on your tubing runs and make the unit very easy to install. Our Air 1 + kit comes with 200' of bottom line tubing, which should be enough for your size pond, depending on power location.

Send us your physical address and we would be happy to make an aeration map, showing the best location for the compressor cabinet and the airstations(diffusers).

Why Should I Use Pond Dye?

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A question we are often asked is-Why should I use pond dye? 


Two of the biggest problems a pond owner faces are nuisance aquatic plants and algae. Traditionally, pond owners have relied on herbicides and algicides to control outbreaks of algae and submerged plants. Copper Sulfate, Diquat, Endothall and Floridone are just some of the chemical treatments many have become dependent using year after year. Often, pond owners are reluctant to use these chemicals due to irrigation restrictions, aquatic species limitations and chemical residues.

Pond dye is a low cost all natural alternative that can significantly reduce submerged aquatic plant and algae growth. Like all plants, aquatic plants and algae require sunlight and nutrients to flourish. Plants can only grow when sufficient light reaches the bottom of the pond or the "photic zone". If light cannot penetrate the lower layers of the pond plants cannot grow. Limiting light by adding dye limits the potential for algae and plant growth. Dyes are less effective in shallows, but in many cases the reduction in overall biomass is sufficient for most pond owners. Dyes will not impact emergent plants, such as cattails or floating leaved plants.

The effectiveness of Pond Dye depends the time of year you apply the product, water shed, dosage rate and maintenance schedule. Apply dye early in the spring to prevent germination and limit early season growth. Water exchange is also critical, so if you shed water, you will have to re-treat. Getting the color right is fairly easy as Organic Pond bases our dosage rate on water volume-five acre feet per gallon. This represents the typical 1 acre pond with an average depth of 5 feet. The key is maintaining the color throughout the season. If you see the color fading-add more dye.

Pond dye is easy to use, simply pour around the edge of the pond and natural water movement will disperse the dye in 24 hours.Once dispersed, the dye will not stain you, your pets or your fish.

You will find that pond dye is easy to use, very effective and earth friendly.

Pond Aeration Testimonial

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We love all the letters and pictures we receive from our customers. Here is a note and some pictures from one of our aeration customers. Deb loves the aeration system and is using our swan decoys to mark her aeration locations. They are also a great goose deterrent.

"Just 2 weeks ago, we received the pond aerator system that we ordered from you... and we think it is wonderful! A great, quality product that is working-as advertised."

Here are the pictures of the Vertex Aerator system in operation in our pond. I waited for the swan decoys to arrive so they could be a part of the picture too! They are very realistic and we are quite pleased with them also! 

Thank you so much... Organic Pond has been a great company to work with.

Deb

Sioux Falls, SD

Pond Dye & Beneficial Bacteria, An Effective Combination

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My wife Jeri and I own the Bella Ella Bed and Breakfast. For our guests we have  a 15 foot deep recreational pond 60'x90' in size on the property. For 7 years, we've tinted  the pond a deep blue pond dye to block the sun's rays from fueling unwanted plant and weed growth. We added an organic beneficial bacteria to help clear the water of algae, but have always struggled keep the pond clear for recreational use.

That's until we tried Clean Clear Blue.

The first year we applied it too late in the season, but still had good success. This year we applied one gallon as soon as the water temperature hit 55 degrees in late April and another gallon in mid-June. This stuff works better than anything we've ever tried. The results are tremendous. No more wasting money and also time in raking out lingering weeds. We have next to nothing growing in the pond, it's a beautiful shade of blue and near crystal clear to swim in.

Thanks Jeff for all your advice. Clean Clear Blue does just what you said it would. We are extremely happy with this product.

Nick and Jeri Costello

Owners of The Bella Ella B&B, Canandaigua, NY

www.thebellaella.com   

Pond Safety & Rescue

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Pond Safety should be at the forefront of every pond owners, pond management strategy.

Thousands of people die and are injured each year from drowning and diving accidents; the majority of which are children or adolescents. Many of these tragic incidents could have been avoided with a proactive approach to pond safety. 

Pond safety signs, rescue gear, immersion alarms and fencing are just a few tools to reduce the potential for injury or drowning. 

Signs can give notice of shallow or deep water, thin ice conditions, pond use restrictions or other warnings that are relevant to your body of water. 

Pond rescue equipment should be at the shoreline and according to Mississippi State Extension, a pond rescue post is recommended. The post should be a 10-12 foot long and be painted yellow with the words Rescue Post in black. Attached should be a Life Preserver, a ring buoy or float, emergency numbers and a 10-20 Rescue Pole. 

Recently a new product hit the pond market, the LifeLine Rescue Station. An Indiana Department of Natural Resources Officer, who developed this device after having to recover pond-drowning victims, designed this innovative product. Comprised of a pole-mounted enclosure that houses a state of the art water rescue bag, the LifeLine Rescue Station is today's version of a rescue pole.

An Immersion Alarm, such as the Safety Turtle is designed to alert you when the wearer enters the water. The Turtle is a wrist worn transmitter that sends a signal to a base station alarm. This is perfect to protect a toddler, teen or Alzheimer's patient around ponds, pools or water gardens.

Most municipalities require fencing around pools and should be considered for ponds and water gardens to help limit access and the potential for a tragedy.

A proactive pond safety strategy is simple, low cost and will save you the heartache of a tragedy occurring in your pond, pool or water garden.